CFTC to Host Cryptocurrency CEO Forum to Discuss Digital Asset Market Pilot Program

**May 1: Senate Unanimously Passes Ban on Lawmakers, Staff Using Prediction Markets** The U.S. Senate on May 1 unanimously approved a new rule from Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, prohibiting senators and their staff from participating in prediction market betting. The restrictions took effect immediately. Under the rule, senators may not enter contracts or agreements tied to "payment, transaction, or settlement based on whether a specific event occurs and the degree of the outcome"—covering speculative activities like political prediction markets. Moreno said, "Members of Congress shouldn’t collect taxpayer-funded salaries while also engaging in speculative activities like prediction market betting." In recent years, political prediction markets have surged in popularity, with platforms like Polymarket facing scrutiny over insider trading claims and regulatory concerns. Polymarket responded by supporting the Senate’s move, noting its platform already bans such activ

Apple (AAPL.O) reported fiscal 2026 Q2 results on May 1, topping Wall Street forecasts across key metrics—all hitting new highs—while its stock climbed more than 3% in after-hours trading. Revenue totaled $1.1118 trillion, exceeding the expected $1.0966 trillion. Net profit reached $29.578 billion, and earnings per share (EPS) stood at $2.01, both new records. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced he will step down in September, with John Turner set to succeed him. Turner has led development of the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air. Product segment performance was mixed: MacBook sales were strong, but iPhone revenue hit $569.9 billion—slightly below the $572.1 billion forecast—due primarily to a shortage of high-end chips. Cook noted demand remained robust but the supply chain was “slightly tight,” adding pressure is expected to ease in the June quarter. Wearable device revenue reached $79.01 billion. On capital returns, Apple unveiled a new $100 billion stock repurchase program, rais

May 1st: U.S. President Trump said he doesn’t care if Jerome Powell stays on as a Federal Reserve Board member even after his term as Fed Chair ends. Powell’s Fed Chair term wraps up May 15, but his Board member term runs through 2028. He’s stated he plans to “continue serving as a Board member for an unspecified period of time.” Meanwhile, Kevin Warsh is expected to get full Senate confirmation before Powell’s Chair term expires—and Powell staying on could complicate Trump’s push to reshape the Fed. When asked if he’d take any action about Powell’s decision to remain a Board member, Trump replied: “No, I don’t care if he stays as a Board member. I just want to make sure Kevin can take on this role.” (FXStreet)

On Thursday, May 1, Alphabet Inc.—Google’s parent company—closed up 10% at $384.80 per share. Its market capitalization surged by $421 billion in a single day, marking the second-highest single-day market cap growth in history. The previous record holder is NVIDIA, which saw its market cap skyrocket by roughly $440 billion in one day when former President Donald Trump announced a suspension of additional tariffs. As of Thursday’s close, Alphabet’s stock has climbed 23% so far this year, adding more than $860 billion to its market cap and bringing its total valuation to $4.65 trillion. This puts Alphabet closer to overtaking NVIDIA as the world’s largest company, with the latter’s market cap standing at $4.85 trillion.

On May 1, former President Donald Trump commented on the status of U.S.-Iran negotiations, claiming the U.S. has significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities: roughly 82% of Iran’s drone factories are shut down, nearly 90% of missile production has ceased, and the U.S. has “destroyed” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. He also criticized Iran’s “incredible” Strait of Hormuz blockade, noting it has left Iran with no oil income. Still, Trump expressed hope for a quick deal, hinting “only he and a few others know the true state of the Iran talks.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is actively involved in the discussions. Trump expects gasoline prices to drop once the Iran crisis resolves—contradicting California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said 61 days of conflict have pushed U.S. gas prices up nearly 30% to $4.30 per gallon, raising food, transit, and flight costs while the federal government has been “silent” on the issue.

May 1 — OpenAI on Thursday rolled out new security controls that let users set up passphrases to bypass traditional email-and-password logins, per a report from AXIOS (Jinshi Data APP). The feature is targeted at high-risk users, including journalists and government officials, the company said. The tech firm is also launching **Advanced Account Security**—an optional new setting requiring users to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) via either a passphrase or a hardware security key to access ChatGPT or Codex. The new mode is available to all users, including free users. Users can choose two hardware keys, two passphrase keys, or one of each. ### Notes on American English adaptation: 1. **Date format**: Uses "May 1 —" (em dash) for brevity (common in U.S. news). 2. **Phrasing**: - "Per a report from" (instead of "according to") is standard in U.S. journalism. - "Targeted at" (more conversational than "aimed at" for tech news). - "Enable 2FA" (accurate for s